Deep Foundations
Holmes Correctional Institution, Bonifay, Florida

Top: Piling in progress. Prior to production work, piles had been driven in different areas of the site to confirm shipping lengths and decrease the amount of on-site welding. Bottom: Surveying, load testing and the installation of 509 production piles was accomplished in just 14 calendar days.

During the fast-track construction of a prison dormitory in the panhandle of Florida, several conditions exacerbated an already aggressive construction schedule. Uncharacteristic soils; the potential for costly liquidated damages; limitations imposed due to working within a high security correctional facility; the discovery of an active, highvoltage underground power line within the work area; and a tropical storm during production work. These were the challenges that faced John N. Puder (JNP) during design and installation of a pipe pile foundation for a new prison dormitory. For meeting the challenges and delivering a quality product ahead of what had been described as an “impossible” schedule, JNP received an Excellence in Construction award from the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.

Unanticipated Condition Prompts Foundation Change

To comply with a State mandate, the Florida Department of Corrections had undertaken a fast-track building program that included initiation of a slab-on-grade, prefabricated precast concrete dormitory unit every seven days, with a 4-week completion schedule per dormitory. Individual institutions were required to complete shallow foundation and slab work to meet the precast delivery schedule. Just 30 days before precast units were to be delivered to the Holmes facility, soil borings revealed a wedged-shaped peat deposit 10 to 40 feet thick beneath 10 to 20 feet of hard surficial clay that underlaid the footprint of the proposed building. Design and installation of a deep foundation system to bypass the compressible organics became a matter of urgency in order for the Department of Corrections to avoid liquidated damages. Based on experience of the company’s expertise and proven ability to resolve difficult and fast-track problems on time and within budget, JNP was recommended to the owner by Structural Engineer William M. Bishop as its foundation contractor of choice.

Cooperative Approach Maintains Schedule

Working closely with JNP, William M. Bishop rapidly developed a deep foundation system capable of carrying the heavy structural loads. This comprised 4.5-inch and 5.5-inch diameter, closed-end, grout-filled pipe. The piles supported grade beams and were clustered in areas of concentrated loading. Piles were designed to be installed to a competent bearing stratum at a depth of 50 to 60 feet below working grade. The design was influenced by the need for immediate materials availability and JNP’s input into the process to ensure constructability.

Prior to production work, geotechnical engineer Environmental and Geotechnical Specialists, Inc. (EGC), selected two of four probe piles installed by JNP for load testing to verify design parameters. Load test data, in addition to computer analyses by EGS, confirmed that the foundation system would perform as designed.

Work continued throughout tropical storm Beryl to ensure that the critical deadline for foundation and slab completion was met.

JNP’s professionalism, cooperative and proactive approach to the work, ability to react to and resolve site issues in a timely manner, and willingness to work through severe weather conditions to meet the deadline, were credited with being critical factors in the Holmes facility’s ability to meet its overall construction schedule and avoid liquidated damages.